This invention relates generally to a machine and a method for stitching together a relatively soft fabric upper (sometimes referred to as a vamp) to an outsole, which may be of a synthetic rubber material, for the production of footwear, such as slippers.
In the production of slippers, it has been customary to stitch together the peripheral ends of the upper or vamp and the outsole in face-to-face relationship. In one of such slipper constructions, a welt is first stitched about the outer periphery of the fabric upper after which the welted periphery is externally stitched along the periphery of a flat outsole. Such a construction is quite satisfactory in that it presents a neat construction which can be easily and efficiently produced, and assures adequate toe space above the toe of the wearer, although the external welt may not be preferred by the customer.
Another approach taken in the production of slippers is to stitch the fabric upper along its periphery to a peripheral flange of the outsole while both the upper and the outsole are turned inside out. After stitching, the upper is manually turned right side out so as to expose the outer surfaces of the upper and the outsole. Although such construction is quite satisfactory, it nevertheless is limited in that the toe space is constrained, similar to that of ballerina type footwear.
It would therefore be desirable to produce a slipper by stitching a peripherally flanged outsole externally around the bottom periphery of the vamp or upper so as to both avoid the need for a welt while at the same time providing for ample toe clearance. However, existing machines and techniques are generally ineffective for such a slipper construction because of the difficulty in extending the lower stitching elements of the machine far enough under the front toe portion for effective stitching while at the same time avoiding a bunching of the soft fabric upper during the stitching operation.